French unions plan strikes to disrupt trains, ports, flights

The planned walkouts starting Tuesday on train services coincide with the run-up to the monthlong European soccer championship, which begins June 10 and is expected to draw 2.5 million people to stadiums around France.

French labor unions plan a string of June strikes that will target trains, the Paris subway system, ports and possibly airports. (Reuters)

French labor unions plan a string of June strikes that will target trains, the Paris subway system, ports and possibly airports.

Unions are tapping nationwide anger over a labor bill that would make it easier for employers to fire workers and lengthen the working week.

The planned walkouts starting Tuesday on train services coincide with the run-up to the monthlong European soccer championship, which begins June 10 and is expected to draw 2.5 million people to stadiums around France.

Unions have staged strikes this year that disrupted transportation networks, but typically only a minority of staff participates.